Our Moments
by Moonlit917
Summary: A collection of oneshots about Corny and Luis. Varying in times, rated T for lanuage amd slight sexual content.
1. Laugh

**My first attempt at Holly Black fanfiction! I hope I do this justice, because Corny and Luis just deserve that much. I do not own anything in this story, except the plot line and this disclaimer. So, yeah… Here it goes.**

"Corny! Come out of the closet!" Kaye called from the stairs.

"Where have you been Kaye?" Luis called down to her, a smile in his voice. "He did that forever ago!"

Corny, still digging in the closet for a camera (which should _not_ be hard to find, since he was a genius and kept every electronical device he had in perfect condition and exact order), tossed a shoe out the door. It didn't hit Luis; but then again, he wasn't exactly aiming for it to. A blush, of course, covered his features as he continued on his hunt. After a couple more minutes, he was successful in his hunt for the old camera he had put back together last summer. "Finally," he muttered to himself.

"He found it! And he's coming out of the closet!" Kaye called down to King of both the Seelie and Unseelie courts, Roiben, who awaited us in the little café. A small chuckle was heard from the bottom of the stairs. After six months of preparing, getting the money, decorating, and advertising, little Moon in a Cup had come to its grand opening tonight. Faerie and human alike gathered outside, a hum of excitement and wonder pulsing through the large crowd. The size of this crowd attracted even more, as did the odd name and 'other' news that very few had heard about - the Back Room. It was not a V.I.P. room, or _reserved_ as many may actually think. It was where Luis worked his magic. Er, where he undid other people's magic, actually.

With the protection order still in place and news of Roiben's consort, Kaye, debuting her dream, added to the iron of the surrounding city, many faerie lingered but didn't stay.

Corny and Luis tramped down the stairs hand-in-hand, ready to open the café. Roiben, Luis, Kaye, and Corny stood smiling in front of the counter, menu bright and bold behind them. Corny extended his arm, and snapped the photo. The camera flashed, sending everyone blinking as soon as it was over. After regaining their sight, everyone gathered around the camera. Luis wrapped his arms around Corny's scrawny waist and buried his face in his neck, still smiling. Corny smiled back, placing a protective arm around Luis. Kaye and Roiben just shared a secret smile, their hands intertwined. The group of four readied themselves for Moon in a Cup's grand opening, slipping out the door and addressing the crowd. A hush settled over them as Kaye took her spot in front of the people, her glamour hiding her _true_ identity – to most, at least.

Kaye decided there wouldn't be a long speech, or anything horribly cheesy. So she just smiled and stepped up to the ribbon separating the world from Moon in a Cup. Roiben handed her a gleaming pair of silver scissors with his own smile. Luis and Corny stood beside her, hands clasped at their sides.

"I want to thank you all for coming out here and supporting our dream. Our thanks goes out to all that will visit us here at our little café. We welcome you to Moon in a Cup." Kaye grinned wider, cutting the ribbon with a single snap of the scissors she held.

People crowded into the café, so Roiben and Corny got the machines started. Kaye took the orders and Luis worked he crowd. All four were moving swiftly and constantly. Ruth and Val stumbled in late, fighting the crowd and complimenting them on the decorations and equipment. It had been hard to find items with very little to no iron to fill the place, and even harder to find a building like that. They had managed, using money they had saved and money they had made (literally or not) to buy everything. After all, glamours only worked so well… Civilians were already lining the counters and crowding around the wooden topped tables while others sat on the matching chairs. The pulsing, excited hum was back, and the six kicked it into high gear. Luis occasionally disappeared into the back when a customer whispered something to him or there was a knock at the side door.

At the end of the day, after a few cool tricks, a couple spills, some slips-ups, a lot of tips, and more money than expected later, they were done. Kaye collapsed into a dark purple beanbag next to the faerie tales and some faerie's tales, and sipped at some coffee. Roiben sat next to her, absently playing with her green hair. Val and Ruth dispersed, going to meet Ravus before heading to Val's apartment a few blocks over. Corny locked up the café, and filled two mugs with coffee and smiled at Luis, walking over to him with the cups in hand. Luis stole a light, loving kiss before taking his caffeine-induced drink, leaving Corny lingering for more. Instead of giving in, Luis sat back against the wooden chair, grinning at his lover. Cornelius leaned across the table and kissed him anyways, leaving the tease wanting more.

Even with all the turmoil and torture they had endured, the four friends could end the day with a laugh.

**Hope you enjoyed the first installment to my story! **** I will probably update this once a week to once every two weeks. I have other projects and it will take time, so don't get too upset.**


	2. Thunder

Corny tossed and turned with the storm outside, trying to find a comfortable position. With the sheets tangled around his legs and the pillow tossed by his waist, the worst was feared for sleep. It wasn't possible tonight, not with something missing. He tried one more time, if only to stay warm for another moment. The moment wasn't long enough as far as Corny was concerned. It couldn't be helped.

Finally, he clambered out of bed, in search of the one thing missing. Corny ignored the storm raging outside while he padded to the small kitchen of their flat above the café, Moon in a Cup. It was a good deal – buy the café and a house all in one. Kaye and Roiben already had one too many homes, so it was easier. He only had to walk across the room a bit until he saw just what he was looking for. Shivering with the cold like his partner, Luis sat at the poker-sized table that held little more than mail and the café's keys. Moonlight streamed in from the window about the sink, stretching itself across the room to touch Luis's hands softly. A lingering smile played on his lips as Cornelius made his way to his lonely lover sitting in the chair.

Luis leaned into his embrace, letting Corny's arms wrap around him without questions. For just a moment, they both forgot what was lost, what never made its way home, and what they could not protect. Even a moment not remembering that was wondrous and to be loved. Kaye and Roiben weren't on their minds, siblings lost banished for a second, bills to pay completely forgotten. It was just them and the storm. No matter how different their lives, their relationships, their pasts, were from everyone else, Corny and Luis had these near-perfect moments with each other.

All too soon, when lightening flashed across the room and lit up the night's sky, it ended. Luis was back to the reality he never truly left, Corny entering what he had always wanted to leave. The thunder that followed it made the boy sitting at the table tense. It wasn't too far off, tailing the lightning by a mere four seconds.

"The thunder keeps me awake. I've never been able to sleep in thunderstorms." Luis, always the wise one, answered the question no one asked.

"Is it just the thunder tonight?"

"Is it always just the thunder?"

For a moment, Cornelius didn't know how to reply. Then he thought of something that might help his housemate, his lover, his partner, feel less depressed. "I hate to know I could have saved her. I know how you feel, Luis. Kaye says we have to get past this. It'll be hard, but I think we should try."

Luis stayed silent, running a shadowed hand over his dark cornrows with a sigh.

Corny thought back to when Kaye had told him that, about a week ago. He'd been sulking after listening to one of his sister's favorite songs on the radio. Kaye tried hard to comfort him, but it didn't work as well as hoped. The little things still got to him, even if he spent all day trying to shut them out. Luis wasn't too much better, shying away from certain things and gaining an even stronger passion to help people undo any magic-related curses. Sometimes Cornelius would find Luis mumbling to himself about destroying all of the evil faeries out there. Sometimes he even woke up hearing him talk in his sleep. Even if Luis thought vividly about destroying faeries, Corny didn't blame him very much. He had, after all, killed one himself.

"We could try." Luis's words were slow and deliberate. Neither really believed it would be that easy. It was worth a try, though. Both of them thought it would be impossible for the other to love them but they accomplished that fairly easily.

"And maybe it'll work, if we try together." Corny gave his lover's left hand a tight squeeze, sending hope and love via touch. It helped.

"Things work out better if you have someone there."

The more accident-prone, electrical-smart of the two cracked a smile. "Yeah. I don't think Roiben could run the Seelie _and_ Unseelie Courts without Kaye there. To think of it, Kaye probably couldn't have found none-iron things to go into the café without Roiben either. I guess some people just complete each other."

"If they're willing to be completed," Luis finished.

"There's that, too. The right person could complete someone else without their consent or knowledge though." He brushed Luis's cornrows with the hand that wasn't holding and being held. Luis frown slowly grew into a tiny smile.

"Yeah, the right person."

It was a secret the two held, never admitting it aloud. Both knew the depth of the other's feelings, they just didn't talk about it too much. Maybe it was the man in them, or the lack of love from former days. Either way, as long as they had each other they didn't question it. Luis knew if Corny didn't want him he wouldn't be there. Cornelius knew the same thing, and it saved a lot of worry between them. They loved each other, whether or not someone else could tel. Besides, they had too much to do to care about what other people seemed to think of their relationship.

Moon in a Cup was up and running, some things needed done, some things needed to be forgotten, and they still hadn't figured out exactly who they were. Whatever happened, they had the café, Kaye and Roiben, and their lover. So why should either be worrying over something like a couple rounds of thunder and lightning?

For now, they decided not to. It was just easier that way.

The two stood together, facing the window and the storm with little smiles. Even with all that thunder, Corny and Luis managed to find something like a peaceful sleep that night.


	3. Breaking

"Shit," Kaye muttered as she dropped a plate. The glass shattered, sending pieces flying against the surrounding counters.

Cornelius looked up from his place at the cash register. "You okay?"

"Yeah!" The pixie resumed to string cuss words from her glamored lips. Of course, most of the customers had never witnessed the grass green of her skin, or the shock of her wings. Of all the people here, Luis – in the back – and Ellen – sitting at a small table with Kate – were the only humans that did not deal with the courts that knew. She began sweeping up the broken dish and got back to work.

Much later that night, Corny lay awake in bed, all alone. He thought of how the plate had broken earlier, and wondered if everything was meant to be broken at one point.

It was a clear night as he stared out the window closest to his bed. The sounds of the city – though not as loud as they could have been – were distracting. Luis had been called away for an emergency dealing with a cursed little girl and a faerie jealous of the girl. He shuddered, thinking about his own curse and how he only had his partner by mere chance. If the dark-skinned boy had not been crying, there is no telling what the outcome would have been.

Much of that incident had been passionate and wild, but in a way Corny had never before heard of or witnessed. It was out of horrid grief, but driven with definite desire. Luis had wanted to die, thinking no one cared now. He had also wanted Cornelius in a much different fashion; it was almost a double standard, Corny mused in his mind. When he thought back to how the dark-skinned had been so heart-broken and hollow, and yet so ready to love, he could not help but wonder how those two feelings could exist at the same time. Even though the last of his family was gone, with the pierced boy tricked into thinking he still had a chance, Neil's partner had willing thrown himself at the other boy.

When Corny remembered this, he always thought of the desperation in the other's voice when he admitted to wanting Neil to touch him. A mixture of pure desire and a desperate suicide attempt drove Luis to pry the glove off, wanting love and death to come with the touch of the boy before him. Cornelius had been shocked, both with the depth of the desire for love and death. He would be lying if he said he was not scared as well. A part of him had also been morbidly enthralled, but all of him wanted to save the grieving boy. When he could not pull away, when the other's strength was more, he did the only thing he could to convince the desperate brother that there was reason to living.

Admitting he cared, admitting something he didn't know he could, seemed to be the easiest thing that happened. How scared he was when he knew Luis was going to use the terrible curse on himself; how worried he'd been when Luis wouldn't pull away. The worst was how desperate he felt when the pierced boy thought no one cared. The best was how Corny felt the same longing about being touched.

Tossing the blanket off his sweating body, the pale boy tried not to continue his thoughts on that period of time. It didn't help. The night of New Year's Eve replayed in his mind, going over every detail of the bubbling champagne, the feeling of starting new, the knowledge some loved ones would not join them, the fact that they had new loved ones to keep safe. It had been a night of deep despair, a night of new hope. No one could really make sense of the holiday of the new year.

Corny even thought back to three days prior to that, when he picked Luis up from getting Dave's ashes. The abruptness of the kisses, the desperate need that was much more than grief flowed solidly through his memory. He could not help how he thought of his happiness, even when Dave was so recently gone from their worlds. It might have been wrong, but they were helping each other in any way they could.

The tech-savvy boy drifted in and out of sleep, really waking only when he heard the door creak open. Cornelius sat up, only to be greeted with the sight of his lover. Thick cornrows and a pierced face shown in the slight light. Luis removed his boots and oversized coat, pulling off his tee shirt and jeans. He pulled the curtains closed as he made his way to the bed, wanting nothing more than to fall into it and surrender to the warmth of his partner.

As Luis fell into the bed, shrugging the blanket over both of them, Luis moved over. With a satisfied breath, he draped his arm over the finally returned boy and pulled him close. They fell back into the sleep that tugged at them from before.

Enjoying the rediscovered comfort, Corny figured that no matter what was broken something else could fix it.


	4. Photograph

Luis ignored a few stares as he walks down the busy street that night. People stared so much, he was used to it. Why didn't they just take a damn picture?

With a sigh, he glances at his watch. Running late wasn't something Luis found himself to be fond of. Three jobs slammed at him in just two hours were more than enough to keep him busy. How many different curses could one city accumulate, exactly?

Not that he didn't love helping people, of course. That was one of the very few things he felt himself to be good at. Luis even went as far as to pride himself on the work he did. No, his job was great. He just… Didn't like it taking so much time when he had somewhere to be. Especially not on a day like today. A frustrated curse slips from his lips. He should've met Corny ten minutes ago and it was still a twenty minute walk.

Damn faeries.

Deciding to give up fighting the crowd's slow tide, he hastily hails a cab. Luis grumbles the address to the grungy man in the front and relaxes against the seat with a stony face. After a few minutes of calm, he pulls out his wallet to pay the driver. Two photographs that were previously stuffed haphazardly into a pocket of the wallet – one folded and the other a much smaller size – fall on the floorboard.

With a tiny scowl, he reaches down to get them.

The first photograph, the folded one, is of Dave. He didn't exactly look happy, but he looked almost healthy and there was a clear sign of mischief in his eyes. A pang deep in Luis's heart caused his scowl to deepen further. He loved his brother, and would have done anything for him. After all, Dave was his last bit of family, his younger brother, his responsibility… But his younger brother would have done anything for a fix.

Luis shook his head, trying to rid himself of those thoughts. Those were exactly the kind of thoughts he didn't need plaguing him right about now.

He picked up the smaller picture and smiled. It was Corny, his hair mussed and his clothing pretty rumpled. Vividly, Luis remembered taking the photo the first morning he had woken up in Neil's apartment. The camera had just been lying on the table, and Luis wanted to remember a moment like this perfectly. A smudge of Luis's thumb can be seen in the upper left corner, due to his inability with photography. That had been the first of many good days for Luis; his lover seemed to know exactly what he was going through. That was when he really started to heal.

Healing… It was difficult. But that's what he was on his way to do. Luis put the photographs back in his wallet.

Shoving a bill at the driver, Luis hopped out the cab with a renewed smile. Neil's smile was seemingly unaffected by the other boy's late arrival. "I guess grabbing coffee beforehand is out of the question," Corny quips.

The dark skinned boy answers with a scoff and slight grin. "This isn't really something we need to be late for."

With a nod, Cornelius becomes slightly more serious and the two boys enter the building. Though the outside was kind of dingy, with dust covering the windows and a few cracks in the stone, the inside of the place radiated a peaceful feeling. Low lighting and modern-styled decorating radiate calm to the lovers. Luis inhales deeply and tugs Neil forward, closer to the front desk.

Seated at the desk, Neil sees a decently pretty woman with ebony hair. Luis, however, sees her pointed ears and teeth and green-tinted skin. What a place to see fae. But that is what they expected.

After all, two guys with faerie-centered traumatic issues would only go to a normal therapist if they were itching to be put in a loony bin.

Not being particularly fond of the idea, they sought the one fae therapist anyone had heard of.

Luis confirms the appointment and the secretary pages the therapist. After a few minutes of waiting, the boys found themselves facing a lovely faerie woman with scars coving her arms and what they saw of her neck. Neil resigns to waiting for Luis's session to be finished by tinkering with a broken PDA.

With the woman leading him into her office with a smile, Luis begins to tell her the root of the problems he faces. He can tell the woman is listening intently, but decides it may not be enough to really explain what he went through. The dark skinned boy sighs and pulls out his wallet yet again.

He pulls out the first photograph. After she studies the picture of Dave, Luis shows her the second picture. "The first photograph shows you why I need your help. The second shows you why I actually sought your help."

The therapist grins. She understands.

**This one was rather short, but I plan for them to get longer now that I don't have any more projects going on. ^-^ Though I'm not sure how long it will be before I have something else…**


End file.
